The 3 Best Movies in Theaters Right Now: ‘Creed’ and More

There are plenty of notable new films set to hit the big screen this week. Can’t decide which option to buy tickets for first? Here are our staff’s picks for the top three flicks to check out in theaters this weekend.

1. Creed

The sports drama stars Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Johnson Creed, the son of Apollo Creed, who travels to Philadelphia, where he meets Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa and requests that the elder boxer train him. Rocky sees much of Apollo in Adonis, and agrees to mentor him, even as he battles an opponent deadlier than any in the ring.

Creed has received high critical acclaim in its debut and currently holds a 93% fresh rating on rotten Tomatoes. Critics have labeled the film “one of the year’s warmest and most crowd-pleasing surprises,” praised it for adding entertaining new twists to the iconic franchise while still staying true to the roots of its classic predecessors.

2. The Good Dinosaur

The latest from Pixar takes place in an alternate timeline, set millions of years after the asteroid that would have caused the extinction of dinosaurs passes safely over Earth. It follows the story of an Apatosaurus named Arlo as he makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of. Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Sam Elliot, Anna Paquin, A.J. Buckley, Jeffrey Wright, and Frances McDormand lend their voices to characters in the animated flick.

The movie has earned strong reviews so far. Currently holding an 86% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, critics have praised the feature for showcasing all the things we’ve come to expect from Pixar, including quirky humor, beautiful visuals, and plenty of crossover appeal.

3. The Danish Girl

Based on the 2001 novel of the same name by David Ebershoff, The Danish Girl is set in the 1920s and is inspired by the lives of artists Einar and Gerda Wegener. Redmayne stars as Einar, whose work and marriage to Gerda takes a dramatic turn when he decides to begin the groundbreaking journey to become Lili Elbe, one of the world’s first transgender women. Alicia Vikander stars as Gerda. Matthias Schoenaerts, Ben Whishaw, and Amber Heard also co-star in the film.

Currently holding a 77% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has earned mostly positive response from critics, who call it a poignant exploration of thought-provoking themes. Redmayne will likely find himself back in the award season conversation with his portrayal, which The Hollywood Reporter says strikes the perfect “balance of porcelain vulnerability and strength.”